Almost any description of Jordan's landmarks is bound to include the word "ancient". Indeed, the youngest of them are hundreds and hundreds of years old. Such is the country. The names of Jordan's sights seem to take us back to the origins of the world's two major religions, Christianity and Islam. The main attractions of Jordan are scattered around the country, and they are not always in the cities. Sometimes you have to drive through the desert to get to them, and sometimes they are part of the desert itself.
Wadi Rum is a timeless desert. The wind and sun have created unique landscapes. It is also the place where, if legends are to be believed, Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River. There are mineral springs where King Herod the Great of Judea rested, and the cave where Lot and his daughters hid after the fall of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Mount Nebo in Jordan is considered a holy place. It is mentioned in the Bible and is believed to be the site of Moses' death.
The Umayyad Palace in Amman is a partially preserved complex of buildings. This palace was once destroyed by an earthquake.
Jerash is a Roman city located in a valley surrounded by wooded hills and valleys. Today, it is considered one of the best-preserved provincial Roman cities in the world.
Madaba is ancient Madaba, located 33 kilometers from the Jordanian capital. It is often called the "city of mosaics" and was founded about 4,500 years ago. Since the 6th century AD, Christian religious buildings have been erected in the city. Nowadays, it is one of the centers of Christianity in the Middle East, boasting Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics. The most famous of these is the 4th-century map of Jerusalem and the Holy Land, made up of more than two million colored fragments of local stone, depicting hills and valleys as far as the Nile Delta.
Dead Sea. In Jordan, the Jordan River flows into this body of water, where high waves can be seen on the surface. Besides medical centers and sanatoriums, the Dead Sea offers guests amazing coastal landscapes.
Petra is the ancient capital of the Nabataean kingdom, carved right into the rocks over 2,000 years ago. Petra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has been chosen as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
The Al-Kahaf Cave is an ancient burial site, equally holy to Christians and Muslims. It is located in the south of Amman. Arab sources date this rocky tomb to the Roman era, calling it the cave of the "Seven Sleeping Spurs."
Roman Amphitheater in Amman. This building seats six thousand people and has 44 rows. And it is quite an ancient structure.
The ruins of Herod the Great's palace, known as Muqawir, are an hour's drive along the scenic "Road of Kings" from Madaba. It is believed to be where Herod ordered the beheading of John the Baptist at Salome's request.
The Temple of Hercules in Amman is a sanctuary built by the Romans more than 1,500 years ago. It was an important building in its time, and today it is considered a well-preserved landmark.
The Citadel of Amman is the real heart of the country and the capital, formerly called Philadelphia. It is a vast complex, a veritable fortress mountain, and will be of interest to all history buffs.
Pella (Tabaqit Fahl) is a city full of antiquities. For example, there is the Odeon Theater, ancient settlements dating back six millennia, the remains of fortified cities from the Bronze and Iron Ages, the ruins of Byzantine churches, and a residential neighborhood from the early Islamic period.
The city of Ghadara (today's Umm Qais) features ancient streets framed by colonnades, a vaulted terrace, and the ruins of amphitheaters.
Ayyubid Castle near the village of Ajloun is famous for being the castle that defeated the Crusaders eight centuries ago. This Ajloun castle (Kal'at-ar-Rabad), perched on top of a mountain, was built in 1184 by one of Saladin's generals to protect the iron mines and the city from attacks. The castle's top platform offers stunning views of the Jordan River valley.
Karak, one of the Crusader bastions, is located 900 meters above sea level. This city attracts many tourists with its 19th-century Ottoman buildings. The city is built on a triangular plateau, at the narrow southern end of which stands the castle.
The Tsar's Road is the oldest trade and mail route of the Middle East. It ran through the mountains on the east bank of the Jordan. It is part of the Incense Road, running through modern-day Jordan from Amman to Aqaba. The modern highway, built on the site of the King's Road, runs along the shore of the Dead Sea and crosses the Wadi Mujib stream at what is the entrance to Wadi Mujib National Park.
Which sights in Jordan to see first is up to you. We'll work with tripmydream to help you find the most interesting itineraries and the lowest prices on tours.
